Rappers Who Launched Scholarship Programs

The music industry often measures success by chart-topping hits, sold-out tours, and lavish lifestyles. Yet, you will often come across the news of a rapper assisting in providing scholarships, especially for underprivileged students. Evidently, these stars are using their influence and wealth to profoundly impact their communities, especially the educational sector. Jay Z recently made headlines with a staggering $300 million pledge to assist K-12 students from low-income households to attend private schools in Philadelphia. In contrast, Sean “Diddy” Combs’ assault scandal has prompted Howard University to return his past donations to the school. With so many students in need of support, numerous rappers have consistently and effectively contributed to scholarship programs, making significant differences in the lives of young students. Here are seven rappers who have launched commendable scholarship initiatives.

In 2023, Chicago rapper Lil Durk partnered with Howard University to support the education of two students from his hometown. He announced the creation of The Durk Banks Endowment Fund in collaboration with Howard, Amazon Music’s Rotation, and his Neighborhood Heroes foundation. The scholarship was to provide $50,000 to two Chicago students to cover their first-year tuition at Howard University. In addition, Lil Durk donated $250,000 to the HBCU’s Graduation Retention Access to Continued Excellence (GRACE) Grant, aimed at helping Chicago-bred students complete their degrees.

In 2021, Travis Scott established the Waymon Webster Scholarship Fund via his Cactus Jack Foundation. Named in honor of his grandfather, who was the Dean of Admissions at Prairie View A&M University's graduate school, the scholarship awards $10,000 to graduating students who maintain a 3.5 GPA or higher and plan to attend a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). Continuing his support in 2022, Scott’s foundation distributed $1 million to assist 100 students enrolled at 38 HBCUs.

In 2020, Lil Baby revisited his Atlanta high school, Booker T. Washington High School, to introduce his My Turn scholarship program. In collaboration with Amazon Music, Motown Records, Wolfpack Global, and Quality Control Music, the scholarship provides $150,000 annually to multiple students from the rapper’s alma mater. Upon announcing the scholarship, the rapper took to Instagram, urging fellow rappers to follow suit and support educational initiatives.

The iconic Queen Latifah has been making a significant impact on her community through the Lancelot H. Owens Scholarship Foundation since 1992. The foundation was established by her mother, Rita Owens, and was founded in honor of Queen Latifah’s late brother. This scholarship program provides financial support and enhanced learning opportunities for underprivileged youth, primarily assisting students from Latifah’s hometown of Newark, New Jersey. The scholarship recipients are also encouraged to give back to their communities through volunteer work.

On March 14, 2023, a date significant for sharing St. Louis's 314 area code, the "Dilemma" rapper announced the 314 Day scholarship in collaboration with the 314 Day Foundation. According to Ladue News, a scholarship amounting to $31,400 was awarded to Harris-Stowe State University, a historically Black college in St. Louis. This funding was created to benefit the university's enrolled students. Alongside the scholarship, Nelly also introduced the Alumni 314 Olympics, an event for St. Louis high school graduates.

The U.K. rapper Stormzy has funded scholarships for Black Students at Cambridge University since 2018. He has been doing so through the Stormzy Foundation, which was established in collaboration with his #Merky Foundation and HSBC U.K. Initially, the scholarship provided full tuition coverage and maintenance support for two undergraduate students. So far, the hitmaker has assisted over 32 students and recently announced plans to award 30 more scholarships over the next three years. HSBC U.K. has further bolstered the initiative by pledging £2 million in additional support.

While Jay Z's $300 million pledge is a recent and remarkable highlight, his commitment to education isn't new. Jay Z and his mother, Gloria Carter, founded the Shawn Carter Scholarship Fund back in 2003. Through this foundation, Jay Z has provided scholarships to underprivileged students. The foundation also offers support beyond just tuition, covering costs for books, lab fees, and travel, ensuring that financial barriers do not hinder students from achieving their academic goals. In 2019, the first Shawn Carter Foundation Gala raised over $6 million for student funding. Two years later, the foundation partnered with Beyonce’s BeyGOOD organization to announce the About Love Scholarship, funded by Tiffany's $2 million contribution, aimed at HBCU students in creative fields.

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